Dublin-born writer, Oscar Wilde was considered by many to be the most influential and successful playwright in London in the early 1890s. His extraordinary wit, flamboyant lifestyle, glittering social circles and ultimate fall from grace has entranced generations since then.
The son of William Wilde, a leading eye and ear surgeon and Jane Wilde, a poet, he grew up at 1 Merrion Square, Dublin, and studied classics – first at Trinity College Dublin and then at Magdalen College in Oxford. His plays – An Ideal Husband (1895), The Importance of Being Earnest (1895), Salomé (1891); his novel, The Picture of Dorian Gray (1890); and his poem, The Ballad of Reading Gaol (1898), about his time in prison following his conviction for gross indecency – are his most famous works.
Trinity College Dublin holds the only public Oscar Wilde archive in Ireland. Acquired in 2011 from Julia Rosenthal, a London-based book dealer and lifelong collector of Wilde memorabilia, it includes over 150 items including photographs, personal letters and original theatre programmes.
Now, Trinity College Dublin may be one of the potential buyers of another collection of Wilde memorabilia, which will be auctioned in London by Bonhams on February 18th.
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The collection is owned by Jeremy Mason, a noted Wilde collector, bibliophile and former dealer in Oriental antiques. “Tragedy always makes a good story and Wilde reached the pinnacle of social and financial success and then had an awful crash,” says Mason, who collected letters, first editions of Wilde plays and other personal memorabilia for more than 60 years.
[ ‘Very progressive’ Ireland celebrated as bust of Oscar Wilde is unveiled in ParisOpens in new window ]
His first purchase was a first edition copy of The Importance of Being Earnest from the actor Ernest Thesiger (£800-£1,200/€930-€1,400).
“The collection just grew from there and now contains books, letters and manuscripts from each period of Wilde’s life – from childhood to his school years, America, his fame as an author, the theatre golden years and the tragedy and exile,” says Mason. On the day of his release from prison, Wilde took the overnight steamer to France and never returned to Britain or Ireland.
A portrait of Wilde, by famous New York photographer Napoleon Sarony, during his tour of America in 1882 (£1,500-£2,500) and a February 1895 letter to theatre critic and friend, Ada Leverson, thanking her for her glowing review of the first night of The Importance of Being Earnest, are included in the auction.
Copies of The Picture of Dorian Gray (1891) and The Ballad of Reading Gaol (1898) are other items for sale. A prize book from Portora Royal School in Enniskillen (£2,000-£4,000), with eight mentions of prizes won by Oscar Wilde, and a death bed photo of him (£2,000-£3,000) are also included. The top lot is a first edition of Salomé (£15,000-£25,000).
Meanwhile, an illustrated copy of Oscar Wilde’s The Happy Prince and other tales (London, 1935) is one of almost 100 rare books for sale in the Trinity College Dublin auction on Tuesday, February 10th at 5.30pm.
C.W. Benson’s Our Irish Song Birds (Dublin, 1901, second edition); AE (George Russell) collected poems (London, 1920); and Samuel A Ossory Fitzpatrick’s historical and topographical account of Dublin (London, 1907, first edition), are other collectible books for sale. The wide range of themes include local, national and international history, poetry, Celtic studies, Irish language works, cookery, gardening and art.
Books in the auction can be viewed in the Exam Hall, Front Square, Trinity College Dublin from 4pm-5pm on Tuesday, in advance of the auction at 5.30pm. Admission costs €3.
The event is part of Trinity’s annual sale of donated books, with this year’s sale including many books owned by Brendan Kennelly, the late poet and professor of modern literature at Trinity College Dublin.
[ Brendan Kennelly obituary: Gifted poet, academic and storytellerOpens in new window ]
The general book sale continues on Wednesday (10am-6pm) and Thursday (10am-2pm), with all books half price on Thursday. Admission is free on these two days. Proceeds from the book sale goes to research materials for college libraries.
Finally, the beginning of February spurs many of us on to refreshing or at least cleaning our homes. So, if you have some antique furniture which needs particular attention, you might consider attending a short course in French polishing and antique furniture restoration.
Antiques expert George Williams has been running classes from his workshop in Kells, Co Meath for several years. His spring courses (€200 per day) are as follows: antique furniture care on March 14th; a masterclass in staining and French polishing on March 28th; restoring and maintaining 18th and 19th century sash windows on June 13th; and upholstering antique chairs on June 20th.
Meanwhile at the Rediscovery Centre in Ballymun, Dublin, polishers Jay Cloak and Joanne Fetherston will also hold day long courses in French polishing and antique furniture restoration on February 28th, April 11th and June 13th (€130 per day). Participants can bring along a small piece of antique furniture to restore during the class. Suggested items – which must be taken away after the course – include a side table, a dining chair or a writing slope.
Bonhams auction; George Williams antiques courses; Rediscovery Centre courses; and TCD book sale auction catalogue for more information.
What did it sell for?
J’aime la couleur, Cheri Samba
- Estimate: €10,000-€12,000
- Hammer: price €10,000
- Auction house: Adam’s
Gilt-bronze figure of Bodhisattva
- Estimate: €1,000-€2,000
- Hammer: price €2,000
- Auction house: Adam’s
Three polychrome Chinese plates
- Estimate: €400-€500
- Hammer: price €1,100
- Auction: house Adam’s
